9-123 O you who believe, fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you and let them find firmness in you. And know that Allah is with those who keep their duty.a
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْكُفَّارِ وَلْيَجِدُوا۟ فِيكُمْ غِلْظَةًۭ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ (۱۲۳)
9-123a: قَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْكُفَّارِ (Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you) – This is not a general command that abrogates previous instructions about fighting. For example, Muslims had treaties with many tribes of disbelievers and therefore Muslims were commanded to honor those treaties because it was the right thing to do. Jews lived in Khyber and the Holy Prophet did not fight them even though they were disbelievers and highly unreliable. There were many tribes and nations against whom the Holy Prophet did not fight. So, this command to fight is subservient to the previous command which encompasses all the commands regarding fighting. This overarching command is to fight those who fight you. If it is argued then what is the need of saying ٱلَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُم (those near you), the reason is that these people who were near were the ones from whom the Muslims suffered great torment and afflictions. The opponents located far away were too distant to cause any serious problems. This is what is pointed out in ٱلَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُم.
غِلْظَةًۭ – See 9-121a for its meaning. The purport is that the problems of one’s nation should not be forgotten simply because of having a near relationship.
9-124 And whenever a chapter is revealed, there are some of them who say: Which of you has it strengthened in faith? So as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice.
وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌۭ فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ إِيمَـٰنًۭا ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـٰنًۭا وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ (۱۲۴)
9-125 And as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it adds uncleanness to their uncleanness, and they die while they are disbelievers.a
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌۭ فَزَادَتْهُمْ رِجْسًا إِلَىٰ رِجْسِهِمْ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ (۱۲۵)
9-125a: رِجْس or uncleanness is the enmity and hypocrisy of the opponents as is clear from the statement فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌۭ (in their hearts is a disease). The previous verse mentions the strengthening of the faith of the believers and in contrast mention is made in this verse of the increase in the enmity and hypocrisy of the disbelievers. The revelation of the Quran and in particular the revelation of those surahs in which there is a mention of wars, of confronting the enemies and of the two-facedness of the hypocrites strengthened the faith of the believers but increased the enmity and duplicity of the hypocrites.
9-126 See they not that they are tried once or twice in every year, yet they repent not, nor do they mind.a
أَوَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهُمْ يُفْتَنُونَ فِى كُلِّ عَامٍۢ مَّرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ لَا يَتُوبُونَ وَلَا هُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ (۱۲۶)
9-126a: The hypocrites are advised to turn to God: What kind of tribulation or sorrow is implied in the statement they are tried once or twice? Some have said the trial was by famine and disease, and others have said wars and jihad. The word يُفْتَنُونَ is more in tune with famine and disease. When faced with famine and disease, human nature impels a person to turn to Allah and seek repentance for sins. However, the moral depravity of the disbelievers was such that they did not do so and therefore did not benefit from these tribulations. The wars and jihad were also a trial for the hypocrites because they wanted the Muslims to lose and be destroyed in battles but each battle resulted in the success of Muslims and the failure of the enemy. Further, suffering for the hypocrites as implied by يُفْتَنُونَ took the form of donations they had to make from their wealth for wars and some of them had to participate in the fighting as well and a few were killed.
9-127 And whenever a chapter is revealed, they look one at another: Does anyone see you? Then they turn away. Allah has turned away their hearts because they are a people who understand not.a
وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌۭ نَّظَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ هَلْ يَرَىٰكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍۢ ثُمَّ ٱنصَرَفُوا۟ ۚ صَرَفَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُم بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌۭ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ (۱۲۷)
9-127a: By the revelation of a chapter is meant a chapter that mentions hypocrites. Their looking at one another is either as a signal to leave the assembly or it is gesturing with the eyes by way of mockery and ridicule. So, Allah turned their hearts because they did not use their intelligence.
9-128 Certainly a Messenger has come to you from among yourselves; grievous to him is your falling into distress, most solicitous for you, to the believers (he is) compassionate, merciful.
لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌۭ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ (۱۲۸)
9-128a: عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ – The meaning of عَزَّ is غَلَبَ that is overpowered, and the meaning of عَزَّا علیه کذا is صَعُبَ (the thing grieved him) (R).
For the meaning of مَا عَنِتُّمْ that is عَنۡتُکُمۡ see 2-220a. It is used to mean any one of several things such as toil, fight, death, destruction, sin, and mistake.
The real condition of the Prophet’s heart: The surah is ended here. Among its major themes is a discussion about wars and hypocrites. Hence at the very end it is stated that neither of these topics are the reason for the coming of the Prophet. The real reason is that his nature is such that he is deeply grieved by the tribulations and difficulties that befall the people and his great desire is that people free themselves from these calamities. He is solicitous of their welfare and wants the best for them. The statement up to this point is general, that is the Prophet’s heart melts at the tribulations and calamities that befall the people because of the prevalence of sin and depravity. There is no joy for him in the blood that flows in battles. He feels no pleasure if people put themselves in the path of destruction through their disbelief and enmity. Instead, his heart is anxious for these impairments to be removed. In this last message there is a reminder of the initial condition of the Prophet’s heart which turned to Allah on seeing the prevailing depravity and destruction of the world and asked Allah’s assistance. The mention of بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ (to the believers he is compassionate, merciful) conveys that if the people become believers, then the Messenger will be an embodiment of pleasure and blessing for them. It is only when people exceed all limits in creating mischief that it becomes necessary to resist temporarily with the sword to save the truth from being destroyed. For رَءُوف and رأفة see 2-143c and the reason for giving precedence to رأفة over رحمة is that رأفة implies removal of harm and رحمة implies obtaining benefit (RM).
This verse showed to the enemies with whom there was ongoing hostilities and to those who are mentioned in this surah, namely the disbelievers and the hypocrites, the real longing in the Holy Prophet’s heart.
9-129 But if they turn away, say: Allah is sufficient for me — there is no god but He. On Him do I rely, and He is the Lord of the mighty Throne.a
فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَهُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ (۱۲۹)
9-129a: رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ – For عرش see 7-54b. The structure of رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ is similar to رب العزۃ , namely the phrase extends a characteristic.
After conveying that the Messenger only desires their betterment, the Holy Prophet is comforted that despite his desire to extricate them from distress and destruction and his great desire for their welfare, if they do not accept him and are intransigent in their opposition, he should not worry and say فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ (Allah is sufficient for me). He should trust only in Allah.
According to some traditions, the last two verses of Surah Tawbah are the last verses to be revealed, but Bukhari states, based on a narration by Ibn Abbas, that وَٱتَّقُوا۟ يَوْمًۭا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ (And guard yourself against a day in which you will be returned to Allah) (2:281) is the last verse to be revealed. This seems correct. It is true however that Surah Tawbah is one of the last surahs to be revealed and possibly the meaning of the narration may be that in Surah Tawbah these two verses were the last to be revealed.
Bayan-ul-Quran 